GOAL

IN THE BOX

SETUP

Shuffle the cards and split the total deck in half. One half is your game deck. Set the other half aside. You won’t use it in this game.

Deal 5 cards to each player from the game deck.

Draw 3 cards from the game deck to create the common pool of cards in the center of the table.

Shuffle the reward tokens and set them in a face-down stack next to the game deck.

Draw 3 reward tokens from the token stack and display them face-up.

The player with the longest name goes first.

SIZE OF GAME DECK

For 2-4 players, half the total deck (60 out of 120 cards) is used.

If you are playing with more than 4 players, add 10 cards to the game deck for each additional player.

Use fewer cards in the game deck if you want a quicker game.

ARRANGEMENT

GAME DECK: The pile of cards that you draw during a game

CARD POOL: The 3 face-up, common-use cards

TOKEN PILE: The pile of face-down reward tokens

TOKEN POOL: The 3 face-up reward tokens

HAND: The 5 cards each player holds in their hand

LEXICON: The words and tokens in front of each player (formed or won during the game)

GAMEPLAY

On your turn, make the following moves:

Build one word and add it to your lexicon.

Take any reward tokens you’ve earned.

Replenish your hand to 5 cards from the game deck.

Replenish any used tokens or cards from the center pool.

Play continues clockwise to the next player.

PASSING YOUR TURN

If you cannot build a word, you may pass your turn:

Exchange any cards from your hand by placing them on the bottom of the game deck.

Redraw to 5 cards from the game deck.

Play continues clockwise to the next player.

BUILDING A WORD

When building a new word, follow this guide:

REQUIRED

OPTIONAL

You must use:

One or more card(s) from your hand

You may use:

Card(s) in the center pool

Word(s) you've built

Word(s) other players have built

WORD BUILDING RULES

You may build only one word per turn.

Words must be at least 2 cards long.

You may add cards to the beginning, middle, or end of an existing word.

You cannot rearrange the order of cards in an existing word.

You cannot remove cards from an existing word.

EXAMPLE TURNS

You use a C card from your hand and an AT card from the pool to form C•AT. Add this to your lexicon.

In a subsequent turn, another player plays a H card from their hand to steal C•AT from your lexicon in order to form C•H•AT.

You use an TER card from your hand to steal back C•H•AT in order to form C•H•AT•T•ER.

CHALLENGING

Anyone may challenge a word during the game. If the challenged word is not in an agreed-upon dictionary or website, the player takes back their cards.

END OF GAME

When the last card is drawn from the game deck, continue one more round until the player who drew the last card takes their turn.

SCORING

To score, each player counts the number of letters (not cards) in their lexicon. Add on 4 points for each reward token you’ve earned. There is no penalty for cards left in your hand.

The player with the most points wins!

REWARD TOKENS

Follow these rules for earning reward tokens:

Reward tokens may only be earned for a word in the same turn in which that word is played.

Players can only win reward tokens that are visible at the start of their turn.

Adding onto an existing word – either your own or someone else's (through stealing) – counts as a new word that is eligible for a reward token.

More than one token may be earned in a turn if the word satisfies all of the conditions.

Reward tokens cannot be stolen.

SINGLE COLORS

Words can be any length but must only use cards of a single color (blue, pink, or yellow).

2 COLORS

Words must only use the 2 colors on the token. For example, to earn the BLUE+PINK token, the eligible word must include at least one blue card AND at least one pink card but CANNOT include a yellow card.

3 COLORS

Words must include at least one blue card, at least one pink card, and at least one yellow card.

OPERATION

To earn one of these tokens, a player must add one or more cards to an existing word – either their own or someone else's (through stealing).

POOL HAND (LUKE)

To earn one of these tokens, a player must build a word using 3-5 cards from their hand or 2-3 cards from the pool.

COUNTING CARDS

To earn one of these tokens, a word must contain exactly 4 cards or 5+ cards. For the 4 card reward, a word must contain only 4 cards. For example, a 5 card word would not be eligible.

COUNTING LETTERS

To earn one of these tokens, a word must contain exactly 6 letters, exactly 7 letters, or 8+ letters. For the 6 letter or 7 letter reward, a word must contain only 6 or 7 letters. For example, a 7 or 8 letter word is not eligible for the 6 letter reward.